


Engineers and Omnipotent Beings

by Rumpeltyltskyn



Category: Legend (1995), Star Trek
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover Pairings, Do not have to be familiar with Legend to understand this, M/M, Pining, Post-TNG/DS9, Prejudice in Starfleet, Q Flirting, Q in place of Janos Bartok, Romulans, Star Trek AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-20 13:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9492899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumpeltyltskyn/pseuds/Rumpeltyltskyn
Summary: Decades have passed since the infamous war with the Dominion.  A Federation star base is now in place in the Gamma Quadrant.  On board is a half-human Starfleet engineer who seems to have captured Q's attention...Set-up for a possible more expansive crossover with Legend, but can be enjoyed without knowledge of the show.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please take note that I don't claim to be an expert on Star Trek. While I'm a definite Trekkie, I'm not the kind to obsess over all the details! I took liberties with this, and I apologize if any mistakes are glaring or wouldn't work with the canon. However, it should be noted that if Q seems a bit out of character, that's because here I actually mashed him up with another JdL character. I still hope all can have fun, and if you like Legend I'm sure you will enjoy all the little references~

" _¡Cuánto tiempo, cerebro! ¿Qué tal?_ "

Lieutenant Huitzilopochtli Ramos let out a short sigh. He didn't need to turn away from his work to know who the enthusiastic greeting had come from; he'd seen the flash out of the corner of his eye and would recognize that voice anywhere. The entity had a subtle but distinct energy that seemed to emit off him in waves, something Ramos had tuned into shortly after their first meeting. He wasn't quite sure if others could sense it as well, but it didn't surprise him that such a powerful being couldn't contain all his energy into a single physical form.

"Go away, Q," Ramos said flatly. "I'm busy."

The soft sound of Q's feet hitting the floor had Ramos rolling his eyes. He was floating. _Of course_ he was floating.

"Why, Ramos!" Q said, hurt exaggerated in his voice, "I'm offended. I thought you'd be happy to see me." He placed a hand on the engineer's shoulder, peering at the screen that had his full attention. Ramos didn't offer a response, just shrugged off the hand and continued his work. "Why don't you allow me to help with that? It's so _boring_ , I could have it done for you in a snap!"

Ramos took a steadying breath. "What are you doing here, Q?" he finally asked, barely glancing over his shoulder at the entity.

"I missed our interesting little chats," Q explained. "There are very few mortals open-minded and intelligent enough to keep my attention."

Ramos held back a sharp retort about Q taking his time after his last visit. If he held his attention, why hadn't he seen Q in almost a year? "Yeah, well, I don't have time to chat," he said instead. "I have work to do." Completing his work on the console in front of him, he stepped over to another screen and began a diagnostic. Q followed him, observing his work but ignoring any semblance of personal space.

"Come now, Ramos," he started, waving his hand dismissively. "Just let me get all this dull busy-work done for you, and then we can have all day to discuss whatever you like."

"I've told you before, Q, I'm not going to let you do my work for me," Ramos responded, struggling to keep his voice level. He lowered his voice, eyes flicking momentarily for anyone in earshot, and added, "With my heritage, I deal with enough suspicion as it is. I don't need anyone claiming I'm lazy as well."

"If that's the case," Q started, and Ramos could practically hear the smirk in his voice without looking , "I could always, make things easier for you. Perhaps make you half Vulcan instead. You'd keep the green blood and the ears, but be spared the prejudice you inherited from your mother. Why, I could simplify things even further and just make you fully human. No one would suspect a human Starfleet officer of being disloyal to the Federation, now would they? And all you would have to do is ask very nicely."

Ramos whirled around, dark eyes narrowed. He found himself near toe-to-toe with Q, skin prickling at the charged energy flowing off him, his glare meeting an amused sparkle in the entity's eye. "I'm proud of my Romulan heritage, Q! I don't care what anyone else thinks, it's a part of who I am. And I rather like myself the way I am, thank you very much!"

"What a coincidence, Huitzilopochtli." A grin crossed Q's face and he leaned in slightly, placing his hands on the console on either side of Ramos and effectively trapping him in. "So do I."

Ramos's thoughts ground to a halt as he tried to process Q's proximity coupled with his words, attempting to gauge his true intentions. Just as anyone who had dealt with the entity, he had learned early on to not take anything he did or said at face-value.

However, all he could really think about was how _close_ Q was.

His mouth opened to say something but it got stuck in his throat and he could feel his face flushing green. His mind only seemed to unfreeze when the wild-haired Ensign 'Skeeter' Paul walked past. He side-eyed the two of them but otherwise didn't stop, just continued on until he was out of sight. Finding his voice, Ramos cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes.

"Listen!" he he started curtly, and Q's expression changed to one of mild surprise. "I don't have time for this, Q. You aren't doing my job for me, and you certainly aren't going to change me." There was a sternness to his voice, as if he were talking to an unruly child.

"Well I-" Q started, pulling back slightly, but Ramos held up a hand to stop him.

"You might have millions of years to do whatever in the universe you want, but I don't," he said plainly. His anger seemed to have ebbed to a calm seriousness. "I get maybe two hundred years if I'm lucky, and I've already lived almost forty of them. They may not seem very important to an omnipotent being, but I have things I want to achieve in that time, and I can't have you wasting it anymore."

Q took half a step back, the shock at being talked down to by a mortal clear on his face. "Well then, if that's the case," he said stiffly and paused, almost looking torn, "I suppose I should make best use of my own time elsewhere."

Ramos crossed his arms, studying Q's face carefully and trying to pretend a small ache hadn't entered his chest. "Perhaps that would be in both our best interests," he said.

With a disappointed frown, Q hesitated, looking as if there was more he wanted to say. Instead, he snapped his fingers and was gone in a flash. Ramos let his arms fall to his sides, watching the spot Q had occupied for a moment before turning back to his work.

He tried to ignore a pang of regret. Ramos had never been quite as put off by Q as the other Starfleet personnel that had interacted with him. Sure, he had made a nuisance of himself as often as possible, but Ramos had found him more intriguing than anything. Q offered him a chance to learn things he never could otherwise, and as a man who loved to learn, Ramos had seized that opportunity. Throughout their repeated meetings, he not only found Q more and more tolerable, he had even started to just _genuinely like_ him.

But after a year of waiting for his return, Ramos had grown bitter. A part of Ramos was afraid he had let the bitterness get the better of him and had made a mistake in telling Q off, but another told him it was for the best.

And still, a small part of Ramos expected-- or rather, hoped-- to see Q again anyway.

 

* * *

 

Ramos entered his quarters, the weight of the day heavy on his shoulders. After Q had left, he had returned to his work only to find out later that one of his colleagues had been promoted to lieutenant commander ahead of him. He knew he should be happy for her, but frustration and a bit of jealousy plagued his mind. She was just about the same age as him-- perhaps a bit younger even-- and hadn't been on board the station as long. They had about the same experience. Though it wasn't that he doubted her deserving the promotion-- rather, he knew she deserved it.

He just knew he deserved it as well.

Ramos had been involved with designing many of the systems on this station. When he received his orders stationing him on board once it was established in the Gamma Quadrant, he had somewhat expected a promotion to lieutenant commander and a place as the Chief Engineer. But those appointments had never come and he was left under the command of an engineer with 'more experience'. It was more than a little disappointing, but it wasn't anything he wasn't used to.

His colleague's promotion just stood to remind him that his heritage was holding him back, because the main difference between them was that she was a Vulcan.

He sighed, shaking away the troubling thoughts. Stepping over to the replicator, he ordered up a hot cup of tea, carrying it to his bed and sitting on the edge. After taking a sip, he set it down on his bed-side table and picked up the PADD resting beside it.

Flicking through the reading options available, he almost settled on a novel by Jacob Sisko he had been meaning to read before deciding on a recently released Nicodemus Legend novella. The Legend stories harkened back to the days of adventure serials popular as far back as 19th Century Earth. Written by a former journalist named Ernest Pratt, the titular character was something of a 'space cowboy', a paladin of the stars that travelled about the galaxy, doing good deeds and defending those in need. They could be a bit grandiose at times, but they had gained unexpected popularity and Ramos was intrigued by the theoretical science and invention Pratt implemented in the books.

Ramos had barely managed to start reading before he was interrupted by a familiar flash of light. He looked up with a bit of a start to see Q standing there, leaving the engineer blinking in surprise.

"What do you want now?" Ramos demanded tightly, putting his PADD down and fixing his gaze on the entity.

"After some consideration," Q started, a practiced casualness to his voice as he took a few paces across the room, "I came to the conclusion that I upset you in some way. And while I can't ever imagine what I did, I thought it would be appropriate to apologize."

Ramos studied Q very carefully. "So, you're going to apologize? Just like that?" he asked doubtfully.

Q nodded curtly. "In my dealings with mortals, I've come to realize that sometimes you have to consider their _feelings_ or you just won't get anywhere," he said flippantly. "However irrational they might be."

Eyes narrowing again, Ramos stood from his place on the bed. "If I'm so irrational, why don't you just go and disappear for a year again?" he retorted, struggling keep his voice level.

Q's brow arched up curiously at that and Ramos regretted speaking because he could tell Q saw through right his words. "Oh? Is that what upset you?" A grin crossed his face. "Why, Huitzilopochtli! You _missed_ me!"

Ramos could feel the heat rushing to his face but he shook his head adamantly. "No, Q, that is not it," he insisted. "It- it's just, you led me to believe you were only going away for a short time. I don't like being lied to!"

The smirk on Q's face made it clear he didn't buy Ramos's explanation. "Well, I must confess, I'm _flattered_! I can't say I've ever been missed before."

Ramos sighed and shook his head slightly, ignoring avpang of sympathy at the idea of never being missed. "I'm glad I could boost your already infinite ego, but everything I said before still stands." He made himself meet Q's eyes. "I don't want you wasting my time anymore, so please, Q, just leave me alone," he said, exasperation in his voice.

Q flashed out of existence immediately, leaving Ramos taken aback, shocked he had left just like that. But a second later Ramos fell back against the bed with a cry when Q appeared right back in front of him, down on one knee and brandishing a large bouquet of flawless yellow roses.

"But Ramos, you haven't even given me the chance to apologize!"

Ramos clutched at the spot on his side over his pounding heart. " _¡Dios mío!_  Are you trying to kill me?"

"Please, I told you to call me 'Q'," he quipped in response. At Ramos's eye roll, he grinned and continued with a theatrical lilt to his voice, "I humbly ask you for your forgiveness, Huitzilopochtli. I'm an Aldebaran mud leech, I grovel before your feet. I throw myself at your mercy. _¡Perdoname, por favor!_ "

"Fine, fine, okay," Ramos interrupted him before he could continue any more. "I forgive you." He snatched away the flowers, face still flushed green, hesitating a moment before sniffing them slightly.

Q's eyes lit up and he stood, expression triumphant. "I knew you would. I'm clairvoyant, of course. Another perk of omnipotence." He took a step closer, resting his hands on the edge of the bed on either side of Ramos's knees, once again invading his personal space. "Speaking of which, I wanted to ask if you coming away with me to see the universe was still off the table."

"Yes, it is," Ramos replied simply, clutching the roses and ignoring the part of him that still found the offer tantalizing. "I have a job here. I'm a Starfleet officer."

Q frowned. "Oh, mortals and their misguided sense of responsibility. It was Jean-Luc's biggest flaw as well." He looked away, gaze falling on the PADD left open on Ramos's nightstand. He picked up up and pulled away from the engineer. "Now what do we have here?"

Ramos stood, discarding the flowers on the stand and giving Q a scrutinizing look. "It's a Nicodemus Legend novel I was going to read." He crossed his arms, anticipating another sarcastic jab at his choice of literature.

Q flicked rapidly through it. "Intriguing writing, for a human," he commented off-handedly, much to Ramos's surprise. He handed the PADD back to Ramos. "Ah ha! That gives me another idea. To make up for lost time, how about I take you on your very own Nicodemus Legend adventure." Ramos went to protest, but Q held up a hand to stop him. "Now, now, _cerebro_ , allow me to finish. I promise it will be only temporary, and I'll return you to this moment when we're finished. Not a moment of your life will be wasted."

Ramos hesitated. "I don't know, Q..."

"Come now," he said, holding out a hand for Ramos to take. "You can't say you aren't at least intrigued by what marvelous adventure I could concoct."

Another long moment passed as Ramos eyed Q's hand warily. He was right. The hand-- the _adventure_ \-- offered to him was very inviting.

"I promise it's not a decision you'll regret."

Sighing and shaking his head, he relented and took Q's hand. The entity's smile broadened, and Ramos suddenly found himself engulfed in blinding light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any obnoxiously inaccurate Treknobabble in this chapter! I'm not overly well-versed in the science of Star Trek, so I kind of tried to fake my way through it. Hopefully it's not too bad to affect you suspension of disbelief. Please, enjoy~

An adventure is certainly what Q brought Ramos on. He found himself dropped right into the middle of it. Q played the part of a somewhat eccentric civilian inventor, framed for a crime he did not commit, and Ramos was the officer responsible to escort him back to the nearest star base. They started their story on a runabout, but when those who had framed Q-- or rather, Janos-- caught up with them, their ship was shot down over a planet populated by a pre-Warp civilization of proto-Vulcans.

They had barely managed to land safely with only minor injuries, though Ramos speculated that was how Q meant it to play out. Q had made a few stipulations at the beginning of their little 'game': he'd only use his abilities to 'end' the adventure should Ramos decide he wanted to give up on the puzzle presented, or if Ramos put himself in too much danger, because he promised his intents did not involve him getting injured. Otherwise, Q would stay in character as the human, Janos Bartok, until they solved the mystery.

Or, he tried to. Q seemed to have a bit of trouble keeping up Bartok's idealistic, pacifistic, even _innocent_ persona for the entire duration of the adventure. A few times he offered Ramos small clues on what was to come next, and even expressed his annoyance at Ramos preferring to follow the Prime Directive during their time on the planet. It certainly did make things more difficult, but Ramos refused to abandon the directive, if only because Q tried to encourage him to do so.

It wasn't much of a surprise that the puzzle Q concocted for Ramos to solve was far from easy. It was a convoluted tale that involved Janos, those that had attacked them, and a valuable anomaly near the planet they had crashed on. There wasn't a moment Ramos thought his mind wasn't being tested, push to its limits and just a bit beyond.

Plus, it wasn't exactly easy to explain Janos's rounded ears and down-turned eyebrows to the native population. He wasn't quite sure if it was Janos or Q that was mildly offended when Ramos explained them away as 'unfortunate deformities'.

None of that stopped him from solving the mystery, however. Though Q made a comment about making it too easy for him, Ramos caught the glimmer of pride mirrored in the entity's eyes, the impressed edge to his voice.

When Ramos was finally teleported back to his room, he was exhausted but proud of himself. Q appeared a moment after him, spread out on his side on the couch and still in the black-and-red ensemble he'd worn as Janos Bartok.

"You did well, Ramos," Q lilted, head propped up on his arm. "Even if I couldn't get you to ignore that pesky Prime Directive of yours. I'm sure you would've been done in half the time if you had just listened to me."

Ramos smirked slightly. "I suppose I'll take that as a compliment," he said with a shrug, unbuttoning the jacket he had worn on the planet. A part of him was confused but a bit grateful Q had sent him back with it, a small momento of the time even if it hadn't really happened. "I certainly hope you kept your promise and I didn't disappear for three days."

"I'm a man of my word. Everything is exactly the same as when you left," Q assured with a broad gesture. A grin crossed his face. "Just a friendly reminder that the adventure wouldn't have to end if you came to your senses and came away with me."

Ramos rolled his eyes. " _Again_ , Q, _no_ ," he responded, but he was more amused than anything. He tossed the jacket aside. "You know, you could learn a bit from your Janos persona. He suited you."

That seemed to catch Q just a bit off-guard, but he recovered quickly, donning a smirk. "Why, Ramos, did you fancy Professor Bartok more than me?"

A hint of green started to tinge the engineer's cheeks. "Well, he was certainly more pleasant company," he retorted, but with no real malice behind his words.

Q clutched dramatically at his chest. "You cut me right to the heart, Ramos!"

"You don't have a heart, Q," he reminded pointedly.

"Touché," Q said with a shrug. "Well, I suppose I should leave you to rest for your _exciting_ day tomorrow," he added, voice dripping with sarcasm and a sigh escaping his lips.

"What's going to be so exciting about it?" Ramos asked, raising a brow at him.

"Absolutely nothing."

The flatness with which Q responded had a foreboding quality that left Ramos with a bad feeling. He shook it off, dismissing it quickly as Q's strange sense of dark humor. The entity swung his legs off the couch and stood and Ramos crossed his arms over his chest. "So, when should I expect another visit? Next year?"

"You insult me, Huitzilopochtli!" Q said. "I swear I will return much, much sooner this time. You should see me again by the time the week is out!"

"Really?" Ramos asked hopefully.

"You have my word," he said, resting his hand back on his chest and offering a slight bow.

He righted himself a moment later, raising his hand, but Ramos took a half a step closer to him. "Q?"

He shifted his eyes back to the engineer. "Yes?"

Ramos took a breath but hesitated, collecting himself and clasping his hands behind his back. "Thank you," he said with practiced formality.

Q grinned. " _Hasta la próxima, cerebro_ ," he bid before snapping his fingers and vanishing in a flash.

 

* * *

 

Ramos wiped sweat from his brow. He was on his hands and knees, crawling through the station's Jefferies tubes, followed closely by Ensign Paul. The temperature on board was steadily rising, and he was starting to feel the heat. He could only imagine how Skeeter was managing; Ramos's Romulan-- and thus, Vulcan-descended-- blood gave him a natural advantage in the heat. It must be killing the humans on board.

"That lying- 'absolutely nothing' exciting?" Ramos mumbled under his breath as they moved through the stifling corridors.

"Huh?" Skeeter's voice sounded behind him in distracted confusion. Ramos glanced back at him, feeling a twinge of sympathy at his red-flushed face and sweat-soaked uniform.

"Oh, it's- nothing," Ramos started, shaking his head. "I just... I had a visit from Q last night and he made a comment about nothing exciting happening today."

"Well," Skeeter said, tilting his head slightly, "I don't know if I'd call 'being roasted alive' _exciting_ ," he admitted.

"I guess not," Ramos deadpanned. "A warning would've been nice, though. But I know the Continuum doesn't really approve of such things." They stopped in front of a panel that seemed to be the meeting place of a web of wiring and piping. Ramos opened his case of engineering tools and tapped his combadge. "Has power been cut off to the access panel?" he asked.

The communicator crackled slightly with interference. "We believe so... took some maneuvering without computer access..."

"Acknowledged," he said, blowing out a sigh. He looked back at Skeeter. "When we flush the coolants into the main systems, it should buy us some time to get the computer back online."

Skeeter nodded in response, swiping the sweat from his face with his sleeve. "So, ah, you know that Q guy pretty well, huh?" he said as Ramos started to remove the cover from the panel.

Ramos's brow furrowed slightly. "Well, I guess so. He's kind've... taken a special interest in me..." he explained.

"I noticed," Skeeter said.

Ramos shot another glance back at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just-" He paused. "I saw him all over you in engineering yesterday."

"That's just," Ramos started, shaking his head as he set down the cover and fished in the box for a tool. He found himself suddenly thankful for the heat, a convenient excuse for his flushed face. "Q just, likes making mortals uncomfortable. It doesn't mean anything."

"I've never seen him do it to anyone else on Gamma-1," Skeeter commented.

Ramos sighed. "You know, I'd rather not talk about this right now," he said tightly, pulling out a decoupler.

"Hey, you're the one who brought it up." Skeeter shrugged.

A flash on the other side of Ramos made them both jump and cover their eyes, fearing another explosion like the ones that had rocked the base earlier.

"He's right, Ramos! You brought me up!"

"Q!" he shouted in shock, uncovering his eyes. "What are you doing here? You said you were going to be back in a week!"

"Ah, not quite, cerebro," Q responded, the characteristic lilt in his voice, and the small space was flooded with his familiar energy. "I said I'd be back before the week was over."

"Why's he here?" Skeeter questioned in confusion. "If I said anything to offend you, Q, sir, I apologize. I swear I have the upmost admiration for omnipotent beings-"

"Oh, hush, this has nothing to do with you, human," Q interrupted, waving his hand dismissively and rolling his eyes.

Ramos wiped again at the sweat beading on his forehead. "Why are you here, Q? We are very, very busy. A major solar flare has fried most of the computer systems and it's just getting _hotter_ in here-"

"And you have to manually flush the coolant systems to bring down the temperature in the major areas of the base, I know, Ramos," he finished as if it was obvious.

"So you know I have to do this quickly," he retorted, his patience ebbing. He turned back to Skeeter. "I need an isodine coupler," he said. The ensign located the tool quickly, pressing it into Ramos's hand.

Ramos moved in to begin his work, but before he could reach the panel, he was stopped by a firm hand on his wrist. Charged energy traveled up his arm, skin pricking.

"What are you doing, Q?" he asked, his voice level but strained.

"There are extremely high levels of electricity running through that panel," Q warned, a degree of seriousness to his voice that Ramos wasn't quite used to.

"No, we cut the power to this section," Ramos countered, though his voice faltered.

Q shook his head slightly. "Your colleagues back in engineering are mistaken. The flare has caused an overload of power and it's flowing directly through here." Q released Ramos's wrist and the engineer pulled back his hand, exchanging a glance with Skeeter.

Skeeter went through the case again, fumbling slightly with a scanner that he passed over the panel. "He's right. These systems weren't designed to handle this level of voltage," he affirmed, eyes wide.

A knot twisted in Ramos's stomach at the thought of what could have happened if he had attempted to access the coolant systems through this point. "We'll go back to engineering, see if there is another option we overlooked," he said, forcing calmness into his voice. He turned his eyes back to Q, beginning to say something, but found he was already gone.

Skeeter blinked in surprise. "Did he, um, come just for that?"

Ramos watched the spot where Q had been for a moment but shook his head and sighed, returning the tools to the case. "Q always has his reasons for showing up. It's just not always easy to tell what they are."

 

* * *

 

The Council was gathered around the entity still seething from being pulled back to the Continuum. In their natural state as pure energy, Q perceived things differently and he could feel their displeasure, their judgement, their disagreement.

But, he wasn't exactly surprised.

_The mortal was supposed to die._

The council's thoughts coalesced into the decision. They were all in agreement on that fact.

Q made a point to exude innocence. _But your honors, who are we to decide what is really to happen?_ He felt his argument a sound one, but he knew it would get him nowhere.

_It is not the place of any one Q to change the timeline from what is meant to occur. You have once again broken one of our most basic rules._

_It's just one person! Hardly enough to change the timeline!_

This time, it was a single Council Member who responded to Q's argument. _Don't be foolish. Your time among mortals has made you start thinking like them. You know that letting something as small as an atom change can have results even we could not predict._

If Q could wince, he would've. _Of course I know. I simply believe that this particular mortal is worth altering things for. He understands things more than the others._

There was a stir amongst the Council, an exchange he was left out of. He could feel conflicting opinions being traded.

_Allowing the mortal to remain could have far-reaching consequences. It could increase the speed at which many of the races of its time begin to ascend to higher planes._

_And what is so wrong with that? Have we not agreed that new blood is needed amongst the Q?_  This time, he directed that inquiry to one Q in particular, making sure to drag the rest of the Councils' attention onto them. He was the quietest of them, but his attention on Q was unwavering.

He could feel the detest and anger flare in several of the Council Members. _That is not the meaning of this hearing!_

The dissent over that particular topic was palpable, but the Council ignored it. Ideas and opinions passed between the Members, shielded from Q, but he could feel then coming closer to an agreement. When they finally turned their attention back to him, they once again addressed him as a whole.

_We do not believe you acted with malice for the Continuum, only disregard. You have allowed your affection for the mortal to cloud your judgement, an issue we have addressed in the past. But, it is our decision punishment would not bring any benefit._  Q didn't hide the relief that flowed over him, but the Council was not finished. _However, we believe it is in the best interest of the universe and the Continuum to make sure the mortal does not survive long enough to alter the timeline irreparably._

An uncomfortable flood of emotion overtook him. _What? No! I accept punishment for my actions. Don't turn it on Ramos._

However, he could feel the firmness in the Council's resolve. _The decision is final. A Q will be dispensed to complete the task, and it is expected there will be no interference on your part._  There was a warning, a threat, in their declaration that Q did not miss.

He made no effort to hide his rage from his fellow Q. _I won't make any promises._  When their collective hold on him released, he did not hesitate to remove himself from their presence. He closed off his thoughts from the prying minds of the Continuum, regardless of how much he knew that would raise their suspicions.

There were no doubts in his mind what he was going to do.


End file.
